Animal-trap.



No. 634,845. Patented Oct. [0, I899."

c. c. BOWEN & e. R. TWITCHELL.

ANIMAL TRAP.

(Application filed Dec. 27, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 $heets8heat l.,

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No. 634,845. Patented Oct. l0, I899.

c. c. BOWEN & c. R. TWITCHELL.

ANIMAL TRAP.

(Application filed Dec. 27, 1898) 2 Sheets$heet 2,

No Model.)

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CALVIN O. BOWEN AND CHARLES R.- TWITOHELL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALI- FORNIA ASSIGNORS TO WILLIAM M. BOIVEN, OF SAME PLACE.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

SPECIFICA'IION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,845, dated October 10, 1899.

Application filed December 27,1898. Serial No. 700,880. (No modelfl To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, CALVIN C. BOWEN and CHARLES R. TWITOHELL, citizens of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Animal-Traps, of which the fol lowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference bein had to the accompanying 1o drawings, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to certain new and usefulimprovements in animal-traps; and our invention consists in certain features of nov- I 5 elty hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

Figure I is a side elevation of our improved device. Fig. II is a front elevation. Fig. III is a longitudinal section of the piston for checking the speed of the striker, said section being taken on line III III, Fig. II. Fig. IV is a side elevation showing the opposite side from Fig. I. Fig. V is avertical section taken on line V V, Fig. II. Fig. VI is a vertical section taken on line VI VI, Fig. V. Fig. VII

2 5 is a detail transverse section. Fig. VIII is a detail view showing manner of connecting the checking-piston to the body. Fig. IX is a broken plan view of the table. Fig. X is a side elevation of the setting-lever.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the body of the trap, which is formed of a single sheet of metal, preferably stamped out so as to form the bottom, sides, and back of the body. 2 represents the sides; 3, the back; 4:, the 3 5 overlapping strengthening-strips for the bottom, and 5 the bottom sheet.

7 are lips fitted against the bottom straps, and 9 is a shelf.

11 represents an impact-block which is piv- 4o oted to the cars 10, the block being provided with slots 12, into which the ears extend, pins 13 being inserted in the block and passing through orifices 14s in the ears. The block 11 extends nearly across the face of the body be- 5 tween the sides 2. It remains normally in a vertical position, being held in said position by means of a coil-spring 15, said coil-spring being located on one of the pins 13 and within the slot 16 in the block.

1'7 represents a receptacle for holding the bait, which may be formed of wire mesh or anyother suitable material, the receptacle being suspended within the body by means of hooks 18, which pass over the top of the back section 5 5 19 represents the table by which the trap is sprung, said table being pivoted to a rod 20, said rod having its ends journaled in the sides of the body. The table 19 preferably has a concave section 21 where it is pivoted to the rod 20.

' 22 represents the weighted inner end of the table 19, said weight holding the table normallyin the position shownin full lines, Fig.

V, or in the position in which the trap is set. The concave section 21 has its inner end sufficiently near the bottom of the body so as to limit the upward movement of the outer end of the table. The outer end of the table 19 extends forwardly beyond the edges of'the 7o sides of the body to a pin near the inner face of the impact-block 11, there being spaces 23 between the forward edges of the sides of the body and the front face of the impact-block, through which the mice or other animals may 7 5 pass into the trap or step upon the table 19.

24 represents a striker which by the force of its blpw kills the animal, which sets off the trap by coming in contact with the table 19. The body of the striker' 24 extends across the chamber 25, inclosed by the walls of the body, said striker being preferably made of a single piece of wire formed into a series of return .bends 26, which add strength and strikingsurface to the body, the striker 2a having a stem 27 at one end extending at right angles with the body of the striker and having its inner end secured at 28 to a rod 29, said rod 29 being journaled at its outer end, as shown at 30, to one of the sides 2. The rod 29 extends 9o nearly across from one of the sides 2 to the opposite side and is met at 31 by a stub 32 on a crank 33. The rod 29 and stub 32 are surrounded by a sleeve 3% and a collar 35. V 36 represents a coil-spring surrounding the 5 sleeve 34 and collar 35, said spring 36 having one of its ends secured to the sleeve 3 1 and stub 32, as shown at 36;}, and having its opposite end secured to the stem 27, as shown at 37, said spring serving to actuate the striker and cause it to revolve. The spring 36 is wound up for action by turning the crank 33 and is held from unwinding by means of a catch or lug 38 on one of the sides 2. The crank 33 is beveled at 39 in order to readily engage said catch.

40 represents a cylinder having a checkpiston 41 located therein, said piston being connected with apiston-rod 42, which extends through the upper end of the cylinder 40 and is connected with a crank 44 on the outerend of the rod 29.

45 represents a pin connected with the lower end of the cylinder 40, said pin having its inner end extending through one of the sides 2, the inner end of the pin 45 being riveted, as shown at 46, to prevent its withdrawal. The pin connection of the cylinder to the body of the trap permits the cylinder to move freely, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. IV.

47 represents a setting-lever pivoted at 48 to one of the sides 2, said lever havinga long arm 49 and a short arm 50.

51 represents a notch cutin the edge of the short arm 50.

52 represents a recess on one side of the table 19, said recess being formed by bending upwardly a lip 53 of the table. The bending upward of said lip leaves a shoulder 54 on the table with which the lower end of the lever 47 engages when the trap is set.

55 represents a pin having its inner end secured to the rod 29 and having a notch 56 on its lower end which engages in the notch 51 of the lever 47. When the table is in the position shown in the full lines in Fig. V, the lever 47 is held down byits lower end coming in contact with the shoulder 54 of the table. The pin 55 at the same time coming in contact with the upper end of thelever the revolution of the shaft 29 and the striker 24 is arrested or stopped, but the instant that the animal comes in contact with the outer end of the table 19 and presses it downwardly into the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. V, the shoulder 54 passes beneath the lower end of the lever 47 and permits that lever to tilt up in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. V and by thus tilting the lever releases the pin 55 and permits the shaft 29 and striker to make another revolution. As soon as the pin 55 passes out of contact with the lever 47 said lever, by reason of the weight of its longer arm, returns to its original position, its weight being sufficient to depress the table, which permits the lower end of the lever to pass beneath the shoulder 54 and resets the trap. As the striker 24 revolves it knocks the animal up against the impact-block 11 and kills him. After the animal has been killed the pressure of the striker causes the block 11 to move backward on its hinges, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. I, thus permitting the striker to pass upward in its revolution.

After the striker has passed out of contact with the block 11 the coil-spring 15 returns it to its normal or vertical position. As the striker continues to revolve it is checked in its speed by means of the cylinder 40 and piston operating therein, the speed becoming very slight at the time that the pin 55 again engages the lever 47 and sets the trap for the next operation, one winding of the spring being sufficient to kill a number of animals. By forming the body of a blank, as shown and described, we acquire a bottom of triple strength and of sufficient weight to retain the body in an upright position, while at the same time we dispense with all nails, screws, or like devices for connecting the parts of the body together.

We claim as our invention- 1. In an animal-trap, the combination ofa body, a table pivoted within the body,a striker movably supported by the body, an impactblock against which the striker comes in contact and means for connecting the table with the striker, substantially as set forth.

2. In an animal-trap, the combination of the body, an actuating-spring journaled with* in the body, a striker and a hinged impact block with which the strikercomes in contact, substantially as set forth.

3. In an animal-trap, the combination of a body, a striker, means for actuating the striker and a movable impact block with which the striker comes in contact, substantially as set forth.

4. In an animal-trap, the combination of the body of the trap, a striker, an impactblock hinged to the trap, and a spring for normally holding said block in a vertical position substantially as set forth.

5. In an animal-trap, the combination of a body, a table pivoted within the body, a striker, means for actuating the striker and a pneumatic check for arresting the speed of the striker, substantially as set forth,

6. In an animal-trap, the combination ofa body, a pivoted table, a striker, a rod to which the striker is secured, a crank on one end of said rod and a pneumatic check with which the crank is connected, substantially as set forth.

7. As a newarticle of manufacture, an animal-trap having a body, a striker, means for actuating the striker, a rod to which the striker is connected, a crank on said rod, a cylinder having its lower end pivoted to the body of the trap, a piston adapted to operate in said cylinder, a piston-rod connected with the piston at one of its ends, and having its opposite end connected with the crank on the striker-supporting rod, substantially as set forth.

8. In an animal-trap, the combination of a body, a table pivoted within the body, ashoulder on the table, a pivoted lever, a striker connected with the rod journaled in the body, a notch in the lever and a pin on the rod adapted to engage said notch, substantially as set I said pin for engaging the notch in the lever,

forth. substantially as set forth.

9. In an animal-trap, the combination of a CALVIN O. BOlVEN. body, apivoted table Within the body, a shoul- CHARLES R. TWITOHELL. 5 der on the table, a pivoted lever having a Witnesses:

notch, a striker, a rod to Which the strikeris J. W. KEMP, connected, a pin on said rod and a notch in JASL E. KNIGHT. 

